The oil and watercolor paintings of artist Erik Garnjost, crew leader for the Long Distance Trails Crew, are on view in a solo exhibition closing April 26 at Trail Conference Headquarters.

More than 20 years ago, Erik Garnjost was painting in the mountains of Colorado and the canyons of Utah and Arizona, forming his personal style in the backcountry. This is where, he says, “the amazing calm … slapped you in the face.” He has ample experience with plein air painting, including hiking into the Grand Canyon with his equipment and coming out days later with several completed works. A move to the East Coast offered new scenery for his painting, sometimes only after a long search for the vista that “demands to be painted.” Erik now lives in Nyack, N.Y., with his family.

A large crowd, including Long Distance Trails Crew (LDTC) members, friends, and family, gathered at Trail Conference Headquarters on the evening of Friday, Jan. 20, to celebrate the opening of the show. Erik's involvement with the Trail Conference inspires him to paint what he sees on trails throughout the Lower Hudson Valley and the Catskills; the works in the show depict scenic views throughout this region—including recent LDTC projects—and throughout the Southwest United States.

Trail Conference Board Chairman Eddie Saiff attended, as well as Sam's Point Ranger Drew Polinsky and his wife Emily, who particularly enjoyed seeing several of the works depicting Sam's Point after last year's forest fire. The exhibit is on view Monday through Saturday from 9-5 through April 26 at 600 Ramapo Valley Rd. in Mahwah, N.J. All are encouraged to come and see Erik's unique talents as both artist and trail builder/crew leader.